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Police: Store employee accused of stealing debit card

A South Orlando clothing store employee is facing multiple counts of fraud Thursday.

Police: Store employee accused of stealing debit card

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Updated: 4:51 PM EDT Nov 1, 2012

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —

A South Orlando clothing store employee is facing multiple counts of fraud Thursday.

Investigators said it was scheme to turn a customer's pre-paid debit card into cash.

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Deputies said 21-year-old Evald Grude rang up a Brazilian tourist's purchase, never returned the card, and used it to go on a high dollar shopping spree.

Officials said Grude, while on his lunch break from the Hollister clothing store at the Florida Mall, walked to the Apple Store and made some purchases.

"Within minutes of not getting her card back and leaving the store the employee takes his lunch break and is down at the Apple Store buying an iPod and a laptop," said Orange County sheriff's spokeswoman Jane Watrel.

After Grude made two more purchases at a 7-Eleven and Target, investigators said he want home, put the electronics on Craigslist and made a $900 profit. By that time, the tourist had reported the card missing.

Officials said there was something else Grude did not plan on.

"There were two different sets of surveillance tapes," said Watrel. "One was at the store where he works, the Hollister store, and one was at the Target which has outstanding surveillance video that shows the purchases and the transactions using the tourist's card."

Armed with the evidence, deputies said they confronted Grude and got a full confession.

WESH 2 News went to Grude's east Orange County address to ask about it.

A woman who identified herself as the mother of Grude's fiancée said she had no idea about this arrest.

Authorities said they believe Grude targeted the Brazilian tourist in the mistaken belief that prosecutors would not bring her back to testify against him.